Do you and your friends and family love watching movies? If yes, hit the yellow brick road with them by organizing a Wizard of Oz Watch Party. Everyone will undoubtedly enjoy the nostalgic vibe, the magical storyline, and the adorable characters the hit flick offers. When hosting the party, keep the following tips in mind to ensure that night runs smoothly and turns out as memorable and fun as possible.
1. Get a headcount and set a budget.
Ample preparation makes a party successful. Part of it is getting a solid headcount for the event. Once set, you can now decide on how much you feel comfortable shelling out for the party. Having a budget makes sure that you won’t be breaking the bank. Plus, it’s always easier to adjust your purchases while still covering all the party needs when you have a specific number to stick to.
2. Theme up the food.
Let’s be honest that food is a major draw at parties and something that every attendee can bond around. Aside from the film itself, people come to watch parties to socialize and enjoy delectable drinks, appetizers, dishes, desserts, and snacks.
To make things even more interesting, theme up the food! Throw out some Glinda The Good Sandwiches, heart-shaped rainbow cupcakes, or pretzel stick wands. You can also make a yellow brick road using cheese and crackers or recreate Tin Man’s hats using chocolate and covered with foil. Just be inventive and see how everyone will love everything on the food table!
3. Have everyone dress up.
Boost the mood and excitement by encouraging everyone to dress up! Your guests can dress as their favorite character, whether it’s Dorothy with her ruby slippers, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, or even Uncle Henry! It doesn’t mean that everyone needs to be in full costume. Adding a few accessories, make-up, or matching a few parts of the outfit to resemble the OZ characters is often enough to bring fun to the night.
4. Decorate your home.
Of course, you need to theme your home, too! Visit your local party store and see if they have Wizard of Oz-themed cups, napkins, plates, logos, balloons, and banners. If you’re on a tight budget, doing DIY decorations is your best bet. You can use crepe paper streamers to create a rainbow-colored backdrop or use art papers to make character cut-outs. Meanwhile, you can get hay if you want for a great Kansas vibe. Lay a yellow carpet on any walkway – you know there just has to be that road somewhere.
5. Get the space ready.
Don’t forget to have your house cleaned before the event to make your home feel refreshing and inviting and make your guests comfortable. You can add pillows to your sofa and some extra seats so they can plop down and enjoy the movie. Also, check if your guests can easily navigate to the viewing area, bathroom, and kitchen. If needed, rearrange some furniture to ensure that there’s a clear path during the watch party.
6. Designate a space for socializing.
Not all of your guests may be interested in watching the movie. Otherwise, they may have seen it too many times, and they’re just there for fun. Setting up a designated space where they can simply chill out and mingle with others is a good idea. That way, those who are invested in the flick may watch the movie peacefully, while others may also socialize properly. If you can, you can also set up an outdoor viewing space for a secondary watch party area for those who want the best of both worlds.
7. The bigger the screen, the bigger the fun!
Though the flick was shown in 1939, your guests won’t enjoy a TV that seems to come from that period. So, level up your home theater system and get bigger screens to keep your guests in awe. Otherwise, you can get quality projectors to achieve the same effect. Be sure that everything is working properly a few hours before the event. Test the video along with the audio to make sure no technical mishap can ruin the fun.
8. Inform your neighbors about the party.
Inform your neighbors about the watch party ahead of time. It’s a courteous way of telling them, “don’t be surprised to see a lot of cars arriving and if a lion or scarecrow gets out of the vehicle.” Your neighbors will most likely tolerate it or any extra noise that may result from the party if you have given them a good heads up. If you can accommodate them, you can even ask them to join the event, too!
Takeaway
Hosting a watch party is fun, but it gets more thrilling with easy steps. Follow them or change some things up and throw a virtual watch party instead! What’s certain is that you’ll have a party that will be as timeless and magical as Wizard of OZ. Have fun and enjoy the flick!